Rabbi Investigated for Incitement Over Ruling on Arab Coalition Partners
A police complaint was filed against Rabbi Gedaliah Axelrod for issuing a religious ruling that applies the lethal law of the pursuer to politicians supporting a coalition with Arab parties.
The Center for the Prevention of Racism has filed an urgent police complaint against Rabbi Gedaliah Axelrod, former head of the Haifa Rabbinical Court, following a religious ruling stating that politicians supporting a government with Arab parties are subject to the law of the pursuer, or "din rodef".
The complaint, also submitted to the Attorney General and the State Prosecutor's Office, calls for an immediate criminal investigation against the rabbi on suspicion of incitement to violence, incitement to racism, and solicitation to murder. According to the filing, Rabbi Axelrod issued a ruling addressing the prospect of establishing a government backed by Arab political factions, asserting that party leaders who enable such a coalition—even through abstention—endanger the public.
The organization emphasizes that applying the concept of "din rodef" to elected officials is an extreme statement that carries severe risks, potentially interpreted as permission to shed their blood over political stances. The complaint highlights the dangerous historical precedent associated with this legal-religious term in Israel's political landscape.
Furthermore, the complaint argues that the ruling constitutes incitement to racism against the Arab public by framing the political participation of Arab representatives as a severe threat, thereby delegitimizing their democratic mandate. The text was widely distributed across social media and religious news websites, accumulating thousands of views and supportive comments.
The Center for the Prevention of Racism demands that law enforcement authorities launch an immediate probe and work to remove the controversial religious ruling and accompanying inciting comments from online platforms to prevent potential physical harm.
